Hiccup treating apparatus



T. D. ASSMAR HICCOUGH TREATING APPARATUS July 10, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 31, 1949 Thomas D. Assmar INVENTOR.

. Q I BY (puny 19% July 10, 1951 Filed Jan 31, 1949 7111/. Illn T. D.ASSMAR 2,560,404

HICCOUGH TREATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 30 Fig. 2 28 32 Thomas D.Assmar INVENTOR.

06251. aadymy 3 M Patented July 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,560,404 HICCUPTREATING APPARATUS Thomas D. Assmar, Jewett City, Conn.Application January 31, 1949, Serial No. 73,733

This invention relates to new and useful immovements and structuralrefinements in thera-' peutic machines, and the principal object of theinvention is to facilitate treatment of chronic hiccough conditions.

This object is achieved by the provision of the instant apparatus,intended primarily for use in hospitals and similar institutions,wherein the patient is seated upon a re'ciprocatively vibratile platformwith his hands grasping a vibratile hand bar, while his arms arerestrained against vibration by relatively stationary arm straps.

The invention also contemplates the provision of what may be referred toas a mask for the face of the patient, these various arrangementscooperating in producing mild muscular and neurotic reflexes or shockwhich, in turn, are believed to counteract spasmodic contractions of thediaphragm to which the cause of hiccoughs is generally attributed.

An important feature of the invention lies in its simplicity ofconstruction, ease of manipulation, and in its adaptability to repeateduse" in a series of treatments of any one particular patient, withoutcausing any apparent discomfort.

With the above more important objects and features in View and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially in the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1" is a perspective view of the invention, showing a patient insitu therein, illustrated in phantom lines;

Figure 2 is a crosssectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 2-2 of Figure 1;

, Figure 3 is a perspective view of a fulcrum joint used in theinvention;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofline 4:4" in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view, taken substantially in the Figure1; and

Figure 6 is a cross sectionalview, taken substantially in the plane ofline 6-6 in Figure 1.

Like" characters of reference are employed to designate like parts inthe specification and throughout the several views.

Referring'now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the inventionconsists of a hiccough treating apparatus designated generally plane ofthe line 5 5 in relatively opposite by the reference character Ill, thesame embodying in its construction a substantially rectangular frameworkor base [2 provided with a plurality of support blocks I4 on which isreciprocably positioned a vibratile platform 5.

Apair of spaced parallel angles 18 are secured to the under surface ofthe platform It and being engageable with the blocks M, the angles l8constitute what may be referred to as guides, which permit the platforml6 to reciprocate in the direction of the arrows 20 (see Fig. 1).

A bracket 22 projectslaterally from the framework or base l2 and carriesan upright support 24, the upper end of which, in turn, is provided witha further bracket 26, notched as at 28.

A fulcrum joint 30, best shown in the accompanying Figure 3, ispivotally mounted in the notch 28 of the bracket 26 by means of afulcrum pin 32, this" pin extending through an aperture 34 formed in aflat mid-portion 36 of the joint 30, as will be clearly apparent. It isto be noted that the joint 36 alsoincludes a pair of internally'screw-threaded sockets 38, whereby the joint is effectively employed forrigidly connecting to gethfer upper and lower portions 40, 42,respectively, of what may be referred to as a lever.

It is to be noted that by virtue of this structural arrangement, thelever is fulcrumed intermediately of its length, the upper portion 40thereof being provided with a T coupling' 44 car rying a hand bar 45',while the lower portion 42 of the latter is equipped with a fork 48provided with opposed slots 50 to accommodate a pivot pin 52 whereby thefork 48 is connected to a bracket 54" rigidly secured to theaforementioned platform l6.

Accordingly, when the platform dates in the direction of the arrows 20,an oscillatory or' reciprocating movement will be imparted to' the handbar 46' by the lever 40, 42, and it should be particularly noted thatinasmuch as the lever has the fulcrum thereof disposed intermediately ofits length, the platform Hi1 and the hand bar 46' will be reciproc'atedin directions. k The reciprocation of the platform I6 is ef-' fected bymeans of an electric motor 56 mounted upon the framework I2 andoperatively con-' nected through the medium of a gear box 58 to acounter-shaft 6!] which, in turn, is connected by a flexible coupling 62to a crankshaft 64' rotatably journaled in suitable bearings 66. Thesebearings are mounted on suitable brackets 68 carried by the frameworkI2, as will be clearly apparent.

i6 recipro- The crankshaft 64 carries a pitman arm I which isoperatively connected by a pivot pin I2 to a U-shaped bracket I4 securedto the platform I6. Accordingly, upon actuation of the motor 56,rotation of the crankshaft 64 will impart a reciprocating, vibratilemovement to the platform as indicated by the arrow 20, while at the sametime the hand bar 46 is vibrated in the direction of the arrow I6, ashas been already explained.

If desired, the hand bar 46 may be provided at one end thereof with ahand grip I8, while its remaining end is equipped with a cup holder 80,the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

A tubular, upright standard 82 is secured at the lower end thereof tothe framework I2, and one arm of an L-shaped extension 84 is slidablytelescoped in the standard 82, being adjustable vertically as to heightby means of suitable wing screws 88 with which the standard 92 isprovided. The remaining arm of the extension 84 extends horizontallyover the platform I6 and a clamp 90 frictionally engages and is slidablyadjustable on this horizontal arm, as is best shown in Figure 1.

The clamp 90 carries a skull cap 92 which is receivable on the head ofthe patient, being retained in position thereon by means of la, strapassembly 94, and the skull cap 92 is also equipped with a downwardlyextendin face mask 96 formed with a pair of eye openings or apertures98. Needless to say, by loosening the screws 68, the extension 84 may beadjusted vertically as to height, so that the skull cap 92 is properlyseated on the head of the patient and the mask 96 covers the patientsface, leaving only the patients mouth and chin exposed.

The patient, indicated at I00, is seated upon a suitable stool or chairI02 positioned on the platform IS, with his hands gripping the bar 46,and it is to be noted that the invention also includes vibrationrestraining straps I04, provided with suitable metallic loops I06, sothat they may be firmly secured to the arms of the patient. The strapsI04 constitute continuations of a connecting strap I08 which passesaround the standard 02 and is secured thereto by a suitable screw H0. Areinforcing bracket I I2, configurated as is best shown in Figure 4, maybe secured to the standard 82, as at H4, and to the strap I08, as atII6, so as to prevent the possibility of the strap I08 sustaining damageby engagement with the standard.

When the invention is placed in use, the patient I00 is seated upon astool I02 positioned on the platform I6, as has already been described,and the skull cap 92 is placed and secured upon the head of the patientwith the mask 96 covering the patients face, as will be clearlyapparent. Moreover, the restraining straps I04 are secured to thepatients arms, substantially as shown.

Thereupon, the motor 56 may be energized, so as to produce reciprocativevibration of the platform I6 and of the hand bar 46, thus violentlyvibrating or shaking the entire body, including the hands of thepatient, while the patients arms and head remain relatively stationaryby virtue of the restraining straps I04, 94, respectively.

Some suitable medicinal preparation should be administered to thepatient while the treatment is being given, to which end the holder 80is provided, so as to receive the cup or glass in which the medicinalpreparation is served.

The effect of vibration while certain portions of the patients body arebeing held stationary is intended to produce mild muscular or neuroticreflexes or shocks so as to counteract spasmodic contraction of thediaphragm, to which the cause of hiccoughs is attributed. Needless tosay, the treatment may be repeated at periodic intervals, if necessary.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure, and accordingly furtherdescription thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. Hiccough treating apparatus comprising, in combination, a stationarybase, a vibratile platform mounted on said base, a vibratile hand barmounted on said base above said platform, means for reciprocativelyvibrating said platform and said hand bar, and vibration restraining armstraps provided above said platform adjacent said bar.

2. Hiccough treating apparatus comprising, in

combination, a base including an upright support,

a vibratile platform mounted on said base, a vibratile hand bar carriedby said support and operatively connected to said platform, and meansfor reciprocatively vibrating said platform and said bar in relativelyopposite directions.

3. The device as defined in claim 2 wherein said base includes anupright standard, together with a free mask suspended from saidstandard, and a pair of vibration restraining straps provided on saidstandard, said straps being attachable to the arms of a patient undertreatment.

4. Hiccough treating apparatus comprising, in combination, a baseincluding an upright support and an upright standard, a reciprocativelyvibratile seat supporting platform mounted on said platform, a leverhaving upper and lower end portions and fulcrumed intermediately of itslength to said support, a hand bar provided at the upper end of saidlever, the lower end of said lever being in operative engagement withsaid platform, a face mask suspended from said standard, a pair ofvibration restraining arm straps provided on said standard, and means onsaid base for reciprocating said platform.

5. The device as defined in claim 4 wherein said means includes acrankshaft, an electric motor coupled to said crankshaft, and a pitmanarm operatively connecting said crankshaft to said platform.

6. The device as defined in claim 4 together with means for adjustingthe height of said standard.

THOMAS D. ASSMAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 22,105 Marlowe June 2, 19421,175,360 Johansen Mar. 14, 1916 1,671,162 Peters May 29, 1928 1,709,410Simmons Apr. 16, 1929 2,497,751 Wettlaufer Feb. 14, 1950

